Crossing signal



June 25, 1935. T. G. STRYNATKA CROSSING SIGNAL Filed June 15, 1935 5Sheets-Sheet l June 25, 1935.

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T. G. STRYNATKA CROSSING SIGNAL Filed June 15, 1953 aggy T. G. STRYNATKACROSSING SIGNAL Filed June 15, 1933 June 25, 1935.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES, PATENTOFFICE caossmo SIGNAL 7 a Thomas G; Strynatka, Mirror, Alberta, CanadaApplication June 15, 1933, Serial No. 675,977 7 6 Claims. (oi 246-313)My invention relates generallyto railway equipment, and particularly tograde or ossingsigand'an importantobject of my invention istoprovldeanarrangement of this character I which is simple and efficient, cheap tomanufacture and install, and which is automatic and reliable in action.-i I Other'objects and advantages of my invention will-be apparent from areading of the following is" description in connection with thedrawings,

taken through Figure Zapproximately on the line -Flgure4 is a transverseverticalsectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of Figure 2.

-: Figure 5. is a perspective view ofthetrain oper-' bracket engagingplate 22, 23 which has thereon 6 is a. perspeetive'view' of a retainingbracket;

I Figure 7: is (a. side elevationah view-of the signal mechanism. 4 1.

Figure. 8 elevationat view of Figure? taken fromtherighnw f 1 H I .1Figure 9" is a. has entail sectional view taken approximately on theline 99 of Figure 7 and looking downwardlyin the direction of the-Referring in idetai li'to the drawings, wherein reier to like partsthroughout the same, thevnmneral 5-. refers generally to a road orgrade. crossing. traversed by a pair of railway tracks- 6; At: eitherside of the road or crossing 51s located a base plate 1:, 1a on. whichis mounted themechanisnm for operating the visible signal mechanismgenerally designated 8, only one of which is provided to. be operated bythe two opermlhrspaced pair. of brackets 9', t0: and intermedi- 5'621them a plunger casing-H. Each of the brackets 9, Hi includes a foot l2which is secured to the base plate I by a suitable bolt I3. From theupper side of the foot I2 rises an inverted L-shaped portion M. The footI2 is undercut as indicated at 5 to overlie and conform to the shape ofthebase flange l6 of the rail 6. The horizontal portion ll of thebrackets is directed toward but is spaced from the rail head 6 and isdepressed therebelow as shown in Figure 3. The brackets 9, it) areutilized for retaining in position in the proper relation to the rail 6'the train operated member or treadle generally designated E8, the formof which is shown clearly in Figure 5. The train operated member [-8com-" prises the vertical'web portion l9, which is underout as indicatedat to clear the casing I I which this portion overlies, when the trainoperated member is in the depressed position. From one side of the webl9 laterally projects the treadportion 2| which is widest near themiddleof the member .as shown in Figure 5 and tapers toward each end. Onthe lower edge of the web l9 at either end thereof there is arranged a alaterally outwardly projecting finger 14 which engages outside of thebrackets 9, M, respectively, so as to maintain the treadle l 8againstlongitudi nal movement, while permitting vertical and rockingmovement thereof. The end portion adjacent the finger 24 rides againstthe inside of the brackets, while the inward lateral extension 26 on.the opposite side of the web i9 rides against the web 21 of the rail 6and in the elevated posi tion of the member l8 engages under the head28'of'the rail as shown in Figure 3, thereby preventing further risingof the treadle.

The tread portion of the member i8 rises from each end upwardly towardthe middle, each end portion being normally on a level with the top ofthe rail head, and the middle portion elevated above the top or the railhead, so that the menber i8 will not be fully depressed until thetrainwheels have rolled upon the center portion of the treadle I8.

Located between the foot I2 of each of the brackets 9, l0 and theunderside of the plate portion 22 of the treadle I8 is an expandinghelical spring 29 which maintains the respective ends of the member [8and consequently the entire member 3- normally in the elevated positionin which it is ready to be operated and depressed by the train wheels.

The plunger casing II which is located adjacent the rail 6 as shown inFigure 4 at a; point on the base 1 intermediate the brackets 9, W

comprises a block 29 which has therein a transverse triangular opening35 in which is vertically slidable a triangular cam 3! which is formedon the lower end of a plunger 52 which works in an opening in the topplate 33. For maintaining the plunger 32 normally in an elevatedposition so that its head 35 engages the underside of the middle portionof the web 2! of the treadle is, there is provided circumposed on theplunger a helical spring 34 which operates between the head 35 and thetop plate 33 of the casing H. Slidable laterally in an opening in theblock 29 is rod 36 which has an angular inner end portion 31 presentedto the cam Si in such a way that whenever the treadle i8 is depressed soas to depress the plunger 32, the cam 3| will cause the rod 36 to moveoutwardly, with consequences to be described.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the outward end of the rod 36 has a clevis3? which has pivoted therein one end of a rocker 38 which is pivotallymounted at 39 on the base I. The remaining end of the rocker 38 ispivotally connected as indicated at 39 to one end of a second rocker lilwhose remaining end is pivotally connected as indicated at M to anintermediate portion of a longer lever 42. The long lever 42 ispivotally mounted in a bracket 43 near one end of the base I, and it isalso pivotally connected as indicated at 43 near its inward end with apiston 44 which operates in a dash-pot t mounted on the base and whosefunction is to resist and delay the return of the mechanism immediatelydescribed above to initial position after the passage of a train overthe treadle has operated the same. The outward end of the long lever -32has a connection 45 for a cable 4"! which is trained over suitablepulley carriers 48, 49 located at one side of the long lever and whichconduct the cable 4i to, the visible signal mechanism 8.

The visible signal mechanism 8 comprises a suitable elongated narrowbase 53 from which rises an inverted Y-shaped standard 5|. On oppositesides of the standard 5| and of the base 50, are pairs of verticallyspaced journal brackets 52, 53, each pair supporting a rotatable mast54, 55, respectively. Mounted on the upper part of the standard 5! abovethe brackets are coiled springs 56, 57, each of which has a portioncircumposed on its respective mast 54, 55, and a loop arranged to engagea stop finger 58, 59 on the mast. The opposite ends of the springs areanchored by suitable means 65 to the side of the standard 5| at the sameside of the mast in a manner to hold the targets El, 52 normally in thepositions shown in the drawings which indicate that vehicles and footpassengers may safely cross the railway tracks 6. The targets SI, 62 arearranged to point in opposite directions in parallel planes, except whenone of the operating cables has broken. In the latter case the targetcorresponding to the broken cable will be disposed at right angles tothe other target.

A lateral arm 63 is fixed to the mast 54 between the legs of thestandard 5|. A similar, but oppositely directed arm 54 is fixed on themast 55. To the arm 53 is connected the end of the cable 41a, and to thearm 5 the cable 47. When the cable 47 is pulled to the left in Figure 1as the treadle of the left hand mechanism is operated the mast 55 willbe turned with its stop finger 59 engaging the loop of the spring 5'2and stretch this spring until the target 52 reaches a right angularposition, thereby warning foot passengers and vehicles intending tocross the tracks, that a train is approaching the crossing from theleft. Of course, the signal operating mechanisms will be located atsuitable distances from opposite sides of the grade crossing 5.Operation of the right hand mechanism operates the mast 54 with itstarget 6| in the same way as the mast 55 and target 62, except that theswing of the target 52 is in an opposite direction. As soon as therespective cables 4'! and 41a are released by the rising of the treadlesafter passage of the train, the springs on the masts will return thetargets to initial position, slightly delayed by the retarding action ofthe dashpot 45.

Should either of the cables break or some other accident occur to one ofthe operating mechanisms, the respective one of the springs 56, 5'? inunwinding to a greater extent than is permitted while the cable isintact and connected to the arm of the mast, will independently operatethe related one of the targets into Warning position in which the end ofthe target rests in the warning position against the mast of the othertarget. This arrangement unfailingly warns of an inoperative conditionof the affected mechanism.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment, of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in material and structure and arrangement of parts,within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

What is claimed is:-

1. The combination with a track rail, of visible signal means includinga rotary member, a train operated member mounted adjacent the rail foroperation by a train, cam and lever means op-,

eratively connected to the train operated member, cable meansoperatively connected to the cam and lever means and to the visiblesignal.

means for operating the same, helical return spring means axiallyaligned with said rotary member and attached thereto and to another parton the visible signal means tensioning said cable means and operativefor returning the visible signal means to initial condition when saidtrain operated member has returned toward initial position afteroperation.

2. The combination with a track rail, of visible signal means, a trainoperated member mounted adjacent the rail for operation by a train, camand lever means operated by the operation of the. train operated member,cable means connected to the cam and lever means and vto the visiblesignal means for operating the same, return spring means on the visiblesignal means tensioning said cable means and operative for returning thevisible signal means and said cam and lever means to initial conditionwhen said train operated member has returned toward initial position,said spring means being arranged toplace the signal means in anotherwarning position upon breakage of the cable means.

3. The combination with a track rail having a base flange resting uponhorizontal support means, of brackets having a portion of their bottomresting on said base flange and another portion of their bottomsupported on said support means at one side of said rail, a treadlenormally elevated above the head of said rail and having a portionengaging under the head of the rail and a second portion engaging undera part of said brackets while the treadle is in its normal elevatedposition, said treadle being located between said part of the bracketsand the rail, spring means expanding between the under part of saidtreadle and said brackets and maintaining the treadle yieldably in thenormal elevated position, and signal operating means having a memberunder an intermediate portion of said treadle so as to be actuated whensaid treadle is depressed by the passage of a train over said rail.

4. In combination with a track rail, a depressible treadle supportedadjacent the rail and arranged to be depressed by the passage of a trainover said rail, signal operating means supported adjacent said treadlecomprising a block having a vertical slot therein, a slide in said slothaving a cam face, a plunger on said slide having operative engagementwith said treadle so that said slide is depressed when the treadle isdepressed, a horizontal rod slidable in an opening in said blocksubstantially at right angles to said rail, said opening communicatingat its inner end with said slot, said rod having its inner end bevelledto cooperate with the cam face of the slide, the outer end of said rodbeing arranged for operative connection to a signal.

5. The combination with a track rail having a base flange resting upon asupporting surface, a

pair of brackets supported adjacent said rail on said surface, a treadleyieldably elevated between said pair of brackets and said rail, signaloperating means supported on said surface adjacent said rail and treadleand between said brackets, a vertical plunger operatively engaged bysaid treadle, a cam on the lower part of said plunger, a horizontal rodsupported so as to slide toward and away from said rail, said rod havingits inner end bevelled to cooperate with the face of the cam, springmeans yieldably maintaining said plunger in normally elevated position,a rocker pivoted intermediate its ends outwardly of said rail and havingone end pivoted to the outer end of said horizontal rod,

a second rocker pivoted intermediate its ,ends

outwardly of the first rocker, a link having one end pivoted to theremaining end of the first rocker and its remaining end pivoted to saidsecond rocker between the pivotal point of said second rocker and oneend of said second rocker, a dash-pot operatively connected to the lastmentioned end, and signal means having an operative element connected tothe remaining end of the second rocker, for operation thereby when saidtreadle is depressed and released.

6. In combination, a track rail, a pair of depressible treadles, saidtreadles being spaced and located adjacent said rail and arranged to bedepressed by the passage of a train on said rail, signal meanscomprising a standard, a vertical mast on each of two opposite sides ofsaid standard, each of said masts being rotatable on its vertical axis,a target on the upper end of each mast, each of said targets beingsufiiciently horizontally elongated to engage the mast of the othertarget when rotated to a certain position, a lateral arm on each mast,means operatively connecting one of said treadles with one of saidlateral arms, second means operatively connecting the remaining treadlewith the remaining one of said lateral arms, spring means on each ofsaid masts and connected with the standard, said spring means tensioningsaid first and second operating means while the same are in theirinitial position so that should either of said operating means breaksaid spring means will rotate the corresponding mast in a directionopposite to that in which said mast would normally be rotated bypositive operation of said operating means by the treadles, said springmeans being arranged to have tension imparted thereto when the masts arerotated by depression of the treadles, so that when said treadle isreleased the masts will be rotated toward their initial positions bysaid spring means by reason of the imparted tension therein.

THOMAS G. STRYNATKA.

